BEST DRAMATIC PRESENTATION, SHORT FORM
Game of Thrones “The Rains of Castamere” written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, directed by David Nutter (HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions)

1. I am super-delighted that the Hugo Best Novel Award went to Ancillary Justice. One, because it’s fantastic, but two, because I feel entirely unwarranted pride in Ann Leckie’s career, because I gave her her first professional sale, and was delighted to give Ancillary Justice a blurb for when it came out. I had nothing to do with the book’s success, other than receive the pleasure of letting people know I thought it was great. I’m still super proud of its clean sweep of the major SF/F awards, and of Ann. This is just great.

2. I’m also giggling that Charlie Stross name-checked me and Lou Anders when he won for Equiod; I remember that fateful night in Denver in 2008, when the messy seeds of that story were planted with two words, the two words being “unicorn bukkake.” And now, Charlie’s got a Hugo out of it. That’s just about perfect.

I read The Water That Falls on You From Nowhere last night. Seriously, drop everything and read it. It's amazing.posted by Lemurrhea at 8:55 AM on August 18, 2014 [8 favorites]

I just want to revel in No Award beating Vox Day.

Yeah, can someone more in the know update us on what happened with the weird "conservatives pack the Hugo ballots" controversy? From the list, it looks to me like it pretty much fizzled. Certainly Scalzi and Kowal weren't part of that bunch and none of the other works described sound like they would have been written by someone who was either.posted by Naberius at 8:56 AM on August 18, 2014 [2 favorites]

Worthy winners for all the categories I knew anything about, for certain. No huge weird surprises this year.

I was a bit surprised that Saga lost to XKCD, but it's still a good choice. Time was spectacular.posted by bonehead at 9:07 AM on August 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

Unusual for Scalzi to actually name Vox Day in a post. Usually he refers to him only tangentially, as a denying-the-oxygen-of-publicity policy.posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 9:07 AM on August 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

Yeah, can someone more in the know update us on what happened with the weird "conservatives pack the Hugo ballots" controversy?

As near as I can tell, no one on the Correia ballot beat anyone *not* on the Correia ballot. Which is the outcome I personally was expecting. (Of all the folks on that ballot, I do like Dan Wells's work, but I don't think tabletop game tie-in fiction is the best way to attempt an award bid. Judging from the utter lack of acknowledgement of his nomination on his site, it seems he agrees.)posted by restless_nomad at 9:20 AM on August 18, 2014

Note that the Campbell is not awarded for a given work, it's awarded a given author. In the posting above, the formatting indicates the work was part of the award.

Yeah, can someone more in the know update us on what happened with the weird "conservatives pack the Hugo ballots" controversy?

Direct Cause: Very few people votes for the work. In particular, in the first round, only 161 people voted for it (as opposed to 1037 for the winner) and when No Award was eliminated (with 92 votes,) only 7 votes transferred to it. That 168 wasn't enough for it to continue. This was a long vote, they had to eliminate all but two before the winner finally got the majority of votes.

In terms of placement, you rerun the election again, but ignore the winner's votes. The winner of that is 2nd. In the case of the particular work, when the election was down to No Award and it, No Award won 1232-885, and came in 5th overall, leaving it last in 6th.

Probable Cause: They didn't vote would be my guess. The nomination group is the members of the previous Worldcon -- here, Lone Star Con 3 in San Antonio, TX --, the current Worldcon, Loncon 3 in London, UK, and the next world con, Sasquan in Spokane, WA.

So, the people who nominated could be a member of any of those conventions, and I'll bet a bunch of them were members of Lone Star Con 3.

But once the nominations are in and the vote for the award comes, *only* the member of the current world con can vote. So, it appears that the large base of nominators didn't bother to vote, which implies they weren't even supporting members of Loncon 3.

So, it would appear that those who nominated the work were members of LSC 3, and not Loncon 3, and thus couldn't vote for it.

I love watching the instant run-off (or whatever you call this style of ranked balloting) in action. If it was a straight count, Wheel of Time would come in 2nd for the novel category. But so few people picked it as even their second or third choice and it ended up coming in fourth.posted by thecjm at 9:24 AM on August 18, 2014

"Sad Puppy" slate here - there's one winner, Toni Weisskopf.

She lost to Ginjer Buchanan.posted by kmz at 9:25 AM on August 18, 2014

Eriko, what numbers are you looking at? I'm not sure which work you're referring to.posted by restless_nomad at 9:27 AM on August 18, 2014

With any luck, Vox Day and friends will get so mad that they'll leave and go off and start their own awards for conservative science fiction (The Farnhams?).posted by octothorpe at 9:29 AM on August 18, 2014 [8 favorites]

I first read "Unicorn Bukowski." So disappointed.

This empty horn vomits
Back the music without scratches
The silver disk with its glory-hole
Reflects nothing where my head should be.
I crap you a prism.
I peel some M & M's to find their bladders.
Their piss-stink whirs into my flared nostrils.
I take another glory dump.posted by dances_with_sneetches at 9:29 AM on August 18, 2014 [12 favorites]

Unusual for Scalzi to actually name Vox Day in a post. Usually he refers to him only tangentially, as a denying-the-oxygen-of-publicity policy.

With that said, Correia was foolish to put his own personal capital as a successful and best selling novelist into championing Vox Day and his novelette, because Vox Day is a real bigoted shithole of a human being, and his novelette was, to put it charitably, not good (less charitably: It was like Gene Wolfe strained through a thick and rancid cheesecloth of stupid). Doing that changed the argument from something perfectly legitimate, if debatable — that conservative writers are often ignored for or discounted on award ballots because their personal politics generally conflict with those of the award voters — into a different argument entirely, i.e., fuck you, we got an undeserving bigoted shithole on the Hugo ballot, how you like them apples.

Ah, Toni did beat Lee Harris for the bottom position, though, which means my assertion above is also incorrect. (If there were going to be an exception, that'd be the one I'd approve. I don't know Lee Harris, but Toni is a well-regarded editor and Baen only deserves about half the scorn it gets. They publish some very good books as well as rather a lot of military masturbation.)posted by restless_nomad at 9:42 AM on August 18, 2014

Yeah, can someone more in the know update us on what happened with the weird "conservatives pack the Hugo ballots" controversy?

I suspect it's just hugely easy to rig a nomination for a weak work and vastly more difficult to win a prize for it.posted by Artw at 9:47 AM on August 18, 2014 [8 favorites]

The blurb for Ancillary Justice didn't really tickle my fancy as much as Neptune's Brood which I bought and finished. I really liked The Chaplain's Legacy and Wakulla Springs sticks in my mind a lot, but I'm surprised it got there simply for lack of fantasy/sci-fi elements.posted by Dmenet at 9:54 AM on August 18, 2014

It was like Gene Wolfe strained through a thick and rancid cheesecloth of stupid)

I was surprised, but pleased, to see Game of Thrones take the Hugo for Best Episode of Doctor Who Written by Stephen Moffat.posted by kafziel at 10:11 AM on August 18, 2014 [6 favorites]

I thought that kind of a weird comment about Wolfe, or perhaps I misunderstand it. Wolfe is explicitly Catholic and reasonably conservative, but I've always had the impression (from Castle of the Otter and interviews) that he's a pretty decent, humble human being. Certainly not to be lumped in with the direly stupid litertarians.posted by bonehead at 10:14 AM on August 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

It sounds like worldcon is looking at a change in the Hugo rules to allow works that have appeared as audiobooks (not like a dramatic presentation, but just a read-the-book type thing) to be considered for awards same as things that appear in print. Interesting, if so.posted by rmd1023 at 10:15 AM on August 18, 2014

I was surprised, but pleased, to see Game of Thrones take the Hugo for Best Episode of Doctor Who Written by Stephen Moffat.

I'd have been happy to see Day of the Doctor or even better Adevntures in Space and Time take home something, but The Rains of Castamere was just flat out better than them.

I hope they played the tune before the announcement.posted by Artw at 10:20 AM on August 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

Interesting, if so.

This is largely because Mary's now-Hugo-winning novelette was originally an audio work and was disqualified last year (despite receiving enough nominations) on those grounds. Tor.com republished it as a written work to make it eligible, but the whole business was frankly silly. It's a good change and I expect it to be ratified next year just fine.posted by restless_nomad at 10:22 AM on August 18, 2014 [2 favorites]

Wolfe is explicitly Catholic and reasonably conservative,

I think some folks consider the way he writes about women to be problematic, nice as he is as a person. I usually think of him as brilliant, but mentally embedded in a WWII-generation mindset, which is not surprising since that is his generation.

However, I'm not sure one can ever call his writing "stupid" -- which was the adjective quoted in the jokey-jokey comment -- even if his occasional sexist rhetoric is troubling, or if you can find Christian allegory in the plots of some of his stories.posted by aught at 10:23 AM on August 18, 2014

That John Chu story was great! Also Equoid was one of the better Laundry pieces IMHO. Haven't read much of the rest unfortunately.posted by Mister_A at 10:24 AM on August 18, 2014

Equoid was well done, but, I'd argue, is at the level of the rest of the Laundry series.

Interesting that Stross has won three times now for shorter fiction, but never for the novels, for which he's arguably better known.posted by bonehead at 10:32 AM on August 18, 2014

aught:

To be clear, the "stupid" in my comment in no way references Gene Wolfe, who is a wonderful writer (and to whom I, as president of SFWA, was pleased to give the organization's Grand Master award).posted by jscalzi at 10:35 AM on August 18, 2014 [7 favorites]

I only made that stupid joke because I've read every word Mr. Wolfe has ever put on paper and found some of it to be not to my taste. Obviously, I wouldn't do that if I found the vast majority of his writing to be less than excellent.

He is, by anyone's standards a terrific writer and I'm sure my stupid snark will affect him and his career not at all.

Toni is a well-regarded editor and Baen only deserves about half the scorn it gets. They publish some very good books as well as rather a lot of military masturbation.

I think Baen deserves praise for republishing P.C. Hodgell's out of print works, despite the bewilderment of seeing her books paired with Clyde Caldwell covers.posted by RichardP at 10:42 AM on August 18, 2014

Does anyone know the backstory on this?

The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman 13.7% *Declined nominationposted by smackfu at 10:43 AM on August 18, 2014

Hooray for Ellen Datlow! There's no short-form genre editor I admire more. Of course I'm not alone in my admiration; this is her fourth Hugo, on top of three Stokers, five Locuses, nine World Fantasy Awards, and more.posted by Faint of Butt at 10:43 AM on August 18, 2014 [3 favorites]

Does anyone know the backstory on this?

The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman 13.7% *Declined nomination

That would be because of the Johnathon Ross business.posted by Artw at 10:46 AM on August 18, 2014

I think some folks consider the way he writes about women to be problematic, nice as he is as a person.

This is true of so, so many SFF authors who I adore in every other possible way. Or, even if they do women okay, LGBT characters. But there's a huge distinction for me between "there's a few problematic things here but I like it and I believe the author is trying to be a decent human being" and the ones who aren't trying to be decent human beings. Even the Farnham's Freehold joke--I have some faith that Heinlein was trying to be better than his upbringing and just didn't always succeed. Vox Day and that ilk aren't struggling to get over oppressive ideas they were raised with, they're explicitly rejecting the idea of occupying a universe that doesn't revolve around them.posted by Sequence at 10:46 AM on August 18, 2014 [2 favorites]

Neil Gaiman 13.7% *Declined nomination

My understanding is that he feels he's won enough, and wishes to leave the field open for other/newer writers.posted by suelac at 10:47 AM on August 18, 2014 [3 favorites]

I don't think anyone could argue that Wolfe hasn't always had stellar outings, but I respect the hell out of him for trying something new stylistically, even if it flops (e.g., An Evil Guest).

My reaction was to a seeming argument that there was something objectionable at the core of Wolfe's writing. It was this hidden badness that was aped, poorly, then refined through a cheesecloth of idiocy. It seems though that that was not what was intended. I guess I just overinterpreted the comment. This will teach me to keep separate beans and dairy, metaphorically at least, in the future.posted by bonehead at 10:49 AM on August 18, 2014

Scalzi makes me wish my twitter client had an option to mute all-caps posts.posted by smackfu at 10:52 AM on August 18, 2014

The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman 13.7% *Declined nomination

That would be because of the Johnathon Ross business.

Nope. This isn't the first time he's declined nomination; same thing happened with Anansi Boys. He just figures he's got enough recognition, awards, and attention and would prefer to see other (and newer) authors being promoted.posted by Tomorrowful at 10:53 AM on August 18, 2014 [3 favorites]

One thing to remember is that it's often quite easy to get a specific work onto a ballot, if you just get a few people involved. Had somebody got the word out that you should nominate "Forbid The Sea" by Seanan McGuire, rather than the other two works in the Novelette category she was eligible for, that would have comfortably made the ballot.

This year, nominations needed to get on the ballot (that is, tying number #5). The number following in parenthesis is the number of nomination ballots.

And for some, it's easier, because they are almost there. Here's how many nominations it would have taken for the first-off-the-ballot to make the actual ballot. Add one to actually knock the last nominee off and replace them

So, for the just misses, they were often very close to the ballot, and you can see how just a little effort in terms of campaigning would get them on the ballot.

As to Short Story: The nomination rule is that you have to be top five (including ties) and you have to have 5% of the total nominations. Short Story, this year, the #4 nominee had exactly 5.0%, so the #5 nominee missed the ballot with only 4.3%. 5 more nominations would have put it at 5.0% and put it on the ballot.posted by eriko at 10:56 AM on August 18, 2014 [3 favorites]

smackfu:Does anyone know the backstory on this? The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman 13.7% *Declined nomination

Artw: That would be because of the Johnathon Ross business.

No.

Gaiman has declined Hugo nominations for several years now. This began before the Ross incident.

He has said in the past that since he is well-known and popular (and has already won multiple times) he is concerned he might shut out other, worthy contenders. I do suspect The Ocean at the End of the Lane would have won if he hadn't. This year, his refusal allowed Mira Grant's Parasite to be on the ballot, which was pretty mensch-y of him.

"And now that the nominees list is up on the web, people are asking me why Anansi Boys was withdrawn from Hugo consideration, and whether it was me that withdrew it. Yes, it was me. And I suppose partly I did it because I have three Hugos already, and I felt it was better to get more names on the ballot that weren't mine, and partly because I think I feel more comfortable when the things of mine that get Hugo nominations are marginally closer to SF than to pure fantasy, but mostly because when they told me Anansi Boys was nominated it just felt right to say no thank you, this time. Obviously I'm grateful to everyone who voted for it, and happy for the other awards that it's won and is nominated for, but on this one, well, it just felt right to say no. So I did.

Or, what Tomorrowful said. :)posted by zarq at 10:57 AM on August 18, 2014

It was like Gene Wolfe strained through a thick and rancid cheesecloth of stupid

The metaphor doesn't make any sense. Cheesecloth can be many things but rancid is not one of them. Indeed the whole point of cheesecloth is to be neutral so that it strains but does not otherwise affect the cheese (or Gene Wolfe) at all, whether it be of cotton or of stupid or of idiocy. Cheese itself, of course, can be rancid (don't know about Gene Wolfe), which might be what was in mind - but you can't get there from the way this was written. Also, cheesecloth is not graded by thickness, but by weave, from open to extra fine.

I am happy-ish with these results; I wanted Ancillary Justice to win, I would have preferred Orphan Black over GoT but just wanted Not Doctor Who to win. I don't think Gravity should have won, but I don't generally care about DP-L. I wanted John Chu's short story to win, was indifferent in novella, and thought that Lady Astronaut was slightly weaker than Chiang or de Bodard but probably got a bit of a sympathy nudge from last year.

I am really, really happy about Kameron Hurley x2, and maybe I will finally read God's War now.posted by jeather at 11:02 AM on August 18, 2014

I assume it is a special sort of cheesecloth, imbued with uncanny powers, as SF/F textiles are wont to be, which powers compel it to convey unpleasant qualities like rancidity unto any suspension passed through its porous weave.posted by Mister_A at 11:03 AM on August 18, 2014 [4 favorites]

If Wheel of Time had won, Brandon would have earned every millimeter of that rocket

My understanding is that he feels he's won enough, and wishes to leave the field open for other/newer writers.

I admire and respect him for that opinion -- but I also completely disagree with it. The point of the Hugo Best Novel is that it should go to the Best Novel, Period. I hate to see it become "Best Novel that wasn't won by Neil Gaiman" or whomever has decided to be nice and let others play in the pool -- and he was the #2 nominee, so you have to assume it had a good shot at the award.

It's also why I'm against Best YA Novel, because I don't want YA to get shunted off in the corner, and I don't want Best Novel That Isn't YA.

But, you know, in a room with 100 people you'll have 237±11 opinions on the Hugos. I'm not the first to espouse the above, and when you say I'm full of shit, you will not be the first to disagree with the above.

Back in the day, we tried to run the award we actually really want to run, which is Best Artwork, not Best Artist. The Hugos, as a class, are aimed at given works, not body-of-work.

The problem with Best Artwork was that it was basically impossible to find out what artworks were created in that year, and get to see enough of them to make a reasonable nomination. So, we went to Best Artist, which was supposed to be a Best Artist of the Year, but became Best Artist over the body of work, which isn't what we wanted. But we didn't see another way. Then Michael Whelan won it for about a decade straight, then declined nomination, which made it the Best Artist Body Of Work Who Isn't Michael Whelan. But, hey, it was a broken award, he just broke it in a different way.*

I think today, we could actually do Best Artwork like we meant to. With the web, and artist websites, we can find the body of eligible work and at least see pictures of it.

But this would mean going to Worldcons and sitting in Business Meetings to try to get it through, and frankly, I'd rather not. If you want to run with it, hey, steal it and run. Even more importantly, steal it and claim it as your own!

* Pollstar Magazine ran into this problem with their best concert venue awards. The best Small Outdoor Venue was always Red Rocks Amphitheater. Always.

They finally gave up, stopped awarding the Best Small Outdoor Venue, and started awarding the Red Rocks Award for Small Outdoor Venue. I was told, but had no proof, that Red Rocks would have won that in the first year if they hadn't explicitly written Red Rocks ineligible in the rules.

So, last year's award for Best Small Outdoor Venue That Isn't Red Rocks was The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Everybody wins a ribbon of participation.posted by eriko at 11:13 AM on August 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

Gaiman's not the only one to do this. When the comic book category was introduced, The Foglio's Girl Genius won it three years running. They withdrew for 2012. I notice they were back on the ballot this year, but I'm certain they're happy to see others win.posted by bonehead at 11:13 AM on August 18, 2014

I was happy to see Randall Munroe get some recognition. He's a man after my own heart!posted by Agave at 11:19 AM on August 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

The cheesecloth thing is just Scalzi being pissed that his "yogurt goes galt" story got passed over a couple years back. Now everything is subtle and not so subtle references to yogurt and its production. Everywhere he goes.

It's sad, really. He was such a great talent, but he's never really been the same since that Worldcon terriblis.posted by Naberius at 11:25 AM on August 18, 2014 [4 favorites]

Cheesecloth can be many things but rancid is not one of them.

Cheesecloth can get bacteria in it if it's not washed and be full of mysterious old cheese funk.

Ask me how I know and I will unfold a terrible tale of homemade yogurt gone horribly awry!posted by winna at 11:30 AM on August 18, 2014 [3 favorites]

It was great watching and tweeting this live from the second row in the Award Ceremony and see either those works win which I'd ranked first or second or in cases where that didn't happen, see friends win. Only minor point was that the only one who recognised my Metafilter t-shirt was Cory Doctorow, thoug meeting him was nice.posted by MartinWisse at 11:38 AM on August 18, 2014 [6 favorites]

The point of the Hugo Best Novel is that it should go to the Best Novel, Period. I hate to see it become "Best Novel that wasn't won by Neil Gaiman" or whomever has decided to be nice and let others play in the pool -- and he was the #2 nominee, so you have to assume it had a good shot at the award.

The question becomes whether a given Gaiman book really deserves it, or if he's only winning because voters like him, are fans of his past work or simply recognize his name.posted by zarq at 11:41 AM on August 18, 2014 [3 favorites]

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is pretty damn great, and could have convincingly won. My vote would have still gone to Ancillary Justice, but I have space bias.posted by Artw at 11:43 AM on August 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

It happens with reasonable frequency. After I won the Fan Writer Hugo in 2008, as part of my acceptance speech I explicitly asked people to not to nominate the next year (as context, the previous winner of the award had won it 19 years in a row). The person who won it the year after me did the same, as did Jim C. Hines when he won it in 2012. David Hartwell withdrew himself for consideration for Best Long Form Editor after three wins, and there have been other examples as well. Part of the point is to make sure people look outside of their own ruts.

There are other reasons for declining awards as well. Two years ago I declined a Nebula Best Novel Award nomination for Redshirts not because I didn't want the nomination -- I did! I did! -- but because I was president of the organization that gave out the Nebulas, and in my opinion it simply would not have been ethically appropriate.

As a final note, I will say I was very happy when Neil declined his Hugo novel nomination in 2006, because it meant my book got on the ballot. Neil figured that the nomination would help whoever took his place. He was absolutely correct.posted by jscalzi at 11:50 AM on August 18, 2014 [20 favorites]

But of course Dave Langford won both because he was bloody awesome, Ansible was the only fanzine most people knew and the recent resurgence of fan activity online (and Hugo Awards recognition that yes, blogs count for both fanwriter and fanzine awards) hadn't happened yet. I doubt he could've won this year.posted by MartinWisse at 11:55 AM on August 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

jscalzi: To be clear, the "stupid" in my comment in no way references Gene Wolfe, who is a wonderful writer (and to whom I, as president of SFWA, was pleased to give the organization's Grand Master award).

Sure. I was referring to lumpenprole's comment facetiously extending what you said onto Wolfe generally. I should have put in an attribution; my apologies.posted by aught at 12:00 PM on August 18, 2014

I hope they played the tune before the announcement.

Worse, they played the introduction to the key scene but then cut it off, at which collective groan went off.

And then they played a game of SF Mornington Crescent before the announcing Best Novel...posted by MartinWisse at 12:24 PM on August 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

This was the first time I voted for the Hugos and I couldn't have been more pleased. The forces of evil have been routed, a woman won best novel. and GoT's bestest wedding episode gets some love (because the Emmy for best dramatic series will never happen). Justice was served, so to speak.posted by Ber at 12:36 PM on August 18, 2014

But you know what's been really great about Loncon3? They took their code of conduct and anti-harassment policy incredibly serious and stamped down hard but with the minimum amount of fuzz on those incidents where people were harassed. The con really impressed me with the thought and labour they've put in to making the con accessible and friendly to everyone, even if it was not perfect.

And I should know, because I spent precious hours after the Hugos last night pulling the tape marking out wheelchair places off the floor.posted by MartinWisse at 1:11 PM on August 18, 2014 [9 favorites]

I liked the Lady Astronaut, but I just did not get what was up with Dorothy being there. Anyone think they have a clue what Kowal was going for with that and want to share?posted by Zed at 1:29 PM on August 18, 2014

It was originally written for this anthology where a classic first line is "ripped off" to start an entirely original short story. Is that what you were asking?posted by restless_nomad at 1:55 PM on August 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

Seconding MartinWisse (whom I met briefly at the registration desk!) - Loncon3 was a great experience and made a great deal of effort to be inclusive. I also hear that it was much younger than your usual Worldcon.

As for the Hugos, I caught a panel discussing the Best Dramatic Presentation long form where they all lamented the absence of Her on the ballot. Apparently it didn't have a wide enough release and came too late in 2013, alas.posted by adrianhon at 1:58 PM on August 18, 2014

It was originally written for this anthology where a classic first line is "ripped off" to start an entirely original short story. Is that what you were asking?

I didn't know that's what I was asking but it sounds like that was it. thanks!posted by Zed at 2:07 PM on August 18, 2014

GoT's bestest wedding episode gets some love (because the Emmy for best dramatic series will never happen).

It's a crossover hit! It's not just for fantasy enthusiasts, they're telling human stories in a fantasy world!posted by TypographicalError at 2:48 PM on August 18, 2014 [5 favorites]

It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.

(Henry David Thoreau, Walden, "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For")

I mention that to help you, dear reader, understand the extent of my meaning when I tell you that (Mefi's own) Charles Stross has Ruined Forever the unicorn (in his Hugo Award winning unicorn bukake novella Equoid). Both the whole general concept of "unicorn" and any specific implementations thereof. Forever ruined.

The above idea requires articulation in my household frequently enough that I and Mrs. Sourcequench have developed an efficient verbal shorthand for so doing: We shout "Dammit, Stross!" in mock-high-outrage.

Given that we are both renfaire geeks, tabletop (F)RPG geeks and bronies, encountering a unicorn of some sort (and having to thus announce its forever-ruined status) is a more-or-less daily event.posted by sourcequench at 2:57 PM on August 18, 2014 [4 favorites]

The Hugo Awards are named for Hugo Gernsback, the pioneering sci-fi publisher, inventor, and visionary.

Ancillary Justice is a solid, interesting book. It hits all the categories I mark off for fiction, good world building, good character development, good ideas, pacing etc... There are stories/books that rate higher in one or two catagories but Leckie really weaves it all together with great results, well deserved win, and certainly a great book to win the trifecta.
I think Neptune's Brood was also very good.posted by edgeways at 5:46 PM on August 18, 2014

I love that this makes it sound like a novelette is a light novel for ladies, so we don't tax our minds with difficult reading.

I love that nobody else bit on that. I was going to totally go for the "I bet you continued using an 8-Track after the Cassette came out too" snark and mansplain that "novelette" has a very specific definition but according to Wikipedia:

A novella, especially with trivial or sentimental themes

A narrative work of prose fiction shorter than a novella and longer than a short story

Emphasis added. Yeah, kinda condescending unless someone just snuck in there and added that to be a jerky-turkey.posted by aydeejones at 6:47 PM on August 18, 2014

It's actually hard to find the negative connotation elsewhere but novelettish includes "sentimental" in its definitionposted by aydeejones at 6:57 PM on August 18, 2014

Digging back through wiki-history I find "Chambers" as an unlinked citation. I suspect it's bullshit, discounting the possibility of circular wiki effects where people start believing that's what it means based on the wiki article.posted by Artw at 7:05 PM on August 18, 2014

Wikipedia has a discussion (with references) of the distinction between novella and novelette (or lack thereof) in the Novella article.posted by RichardP at 10:54 PM on August 18, 2014

Martin Wisse: if I'd seen you I would have given you a Mefi high-five! But I was too busy sneaking a peek at the Doctors Who sat three seats down from me.

I enjoyed the evening - not many of my first choices won (and I am gutted for Strange Horizons missing out by 16 votes), but overall it was a resounding success for the genre I would like to see, and incredibly satisfying to watch the Sad Puppies get completely crushed.

As a Ted Chiang fan, I was initially disappointed that "The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling" didn't win Best Novelette. But it turns out "The Lady Astronaut of Mars" is actually really great and was easily worthy of its win.posted by Jpfed at 7:54 AM on August 19, 2014

I prefer the Chiang, but he's got enough Hugos to build a house with, so...posted by Artw at 8:23 AM on August 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

Only minor point was that the only one who recognised my Metafilter t-shirt was Cory Doctorow, thoug meeting him was nice.

Arg, MartinWisse, I saw your shirt and missed the chance to say hi. Dammit.posted by RakDaddy at 8:25 AM on August 19, 2014 [2 favorites]

So the only two novels I hadn't read that were nominated were the winner and Parasite. Seeing as how I was a fan of the Newsflesh trilogy, I started with that.

As ever, M. Grant has written a page-turner. Even if the revelation of the main character was a bit obvious, I've lost sleep the last two nights finishing it. I cannot wait for the follow up.

Off to read Ancillary Justice now. I trust it'll be as great as all the other nominees.posted by lumpenprole at 9:32 AM on August 19, 2014

This is what the OED has to say:

1. A story of moderate length having the characteristics of a novel. Now: a short, light, romantic, or sentimental novel (freq. depreciative).

1780 Goldsmith & Griffiths (title) Novelettes, selected for the use of young ladies and gentlemen.
1814 J. C. Dunlop Hist. Fiction II. vii. 127 The endless variety of tales, or Novelettes,..which form so popular and so extensive a branch of Italian literature.
1824 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 15 835 As novels and nouvellettes go at present, the story is not particularly valuable.
1847 H. Miller First Impressions Eng. xiii. 244 The novelette and poem for the young lady, and the tale for the child.
1872 C. Hardwick Trad. Lancs. 128 The tales might, perhaps with propriety, be termed nouvelletes, or little novels.
1914 G. B. Shaw Misalliance 66 ‘You want to be the hero of a romance and to get into the papers.’.. The Man ‘Oh, rot! do you think I read novelettes?’
1967 A. Burgess Novel Now i. 16 We're unwilling to dignify books of, say, fifty thousand words and under with the title of novel, preferring to use the Italian term novella (‘novelette’ disparages not only length but content).
1988 ‘R. Deacon’ Spyclopaedia 83 Backhouse established himself..as the author of a pornographic novelette, and..as a British secret agent.

So it seems to have been potentially both a criticism and a description of length for the last century.

It might interest you, the writer of a novelette can be either a noveletter or a novelettist (neither is gendered).posted by biffa at 9:48 AM on August 19, 2014

Regardless, shortly after the Hugo's were over, went online and bought/read The Lady Astronaut of Mars. Charming and well deserving of the accolades.posted by ZeusHumms at 10:36 AM on August 19, 2014

What I learned over the duration of the con is that you never miss an opportunity to just say hi to somebody you know from online, because if you don't you never see them again. I met so many wonderful people but also missed out on a lot of them before I learned that.

Still didn't meet half the people I knew where at the con though.

But thanks to pure coincidence when a bloke asked to take his picture with two other people late at the Dead Dog party yesterday and it was only when looking at her name badge that I saw that she was Gay Haldeman which made him Joe Haldeman and well, fanboy squee happened.posted by MartinWisse at 1:30 PM on August 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

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